Thursday, November 1, 2012

We're # 1. California leads the nation in anti-Semitic incidents

According to report released Wednesday by the Anti-Defamation League incidents of anti-Semitic hate crimes declined by 13 percent nationwide in 2011. California continues to lead in anti-Semitic acts of vandalism, harassment, and assault .

According to the ADL, a total of 1,080 incidents were reported across the U.S. last year, compared to 1,239 recorded in 2010. This is the lowest number of anti-Semitic incidents recorded by the ADL in the past two decades.

In California, the number of incidents against Jews declined by 21 percent, from 297 to 235. That includes 175 threats, 54 acts of vandalism, and 6 assaults. The states with the largest Jewish communities showed the most hate crimes: New York reported 195, New Jersey followed with 144 and Florida with 111.

But how seriously can we take these statistics when incidents such as the harassment of kosher restaurants and Jewish bookstores go unreported?